Tag: books

Heffalump or Woozle…

Wiwohka5 Comments

If someone were to ask if you wished to be either a Heffalump or a Woozle, I bet it would be a good minute before you could confidently answer. Well, maybe it’s just me, beings that I’m quite small and have only just begun reading through the Winnie The Pooh series.

Ok, so maybe I’m somewhat large for an ant, but I was only just born last summer, and it did take me all winter to learn my letters and sounds. If I’m to be any good at writing, I gotta figure a good many things out on my own… that’s what journalists do, you know.

We do a good amount of reading, interviewing, and gathering up the facts, before we put things down on paper… or keyboard.

Please don’t say anything, but I may have gotten in over my head with this Winnie The Pooh business. You see, I sort of made a big deal about being able to read books all by myself, and assured Mee-maw that I didn’t need her help.

Things were going fine, til I got to the part about Heffalumps and Woozles…

Are you kidding me? That’s not fair!

As I’ve been told, time and again, Google is my friend, so I went to said friend. But, now I’m more confused than when I started. I’ll try to explain.

Ok, so according to Google a Heffalump is like an adorably chubby Elephant that can fly, but only when you’re dreaming, I guess. A Woozle is apparently meant to be a Weasel, but cuter, and also flying like the Heffalump… and again, only seen when you dream them.

Time out! Am I the only one whose never seen them before, aside from these Winnie the Pooh stories? How come Google knows about them, and I don’t?

Or, better yet, when did Google ever get the chance to interview the dreamy little stuffed teddy bear, hmmmmm? Answer me that!

Ok, ok, ok… let’s say that I buy this whole Google meets Winnie the Pooh stuff. If I accept that Google got it right, after questioning the teddy bear, I am expected to believe that Elephants can indeed fly, as well as Weasels… but, apparently, only in my dreams. Or does that mean only the teddy bear can see them when he’s dreaming… this is so confusing.

What if I want to see them when I dream? Can I? And, more importantly, do I want to see them? Google says that they represent fear and/or anxiety, well, at least that’s what I think it’s saying. Here, I’ll show you…

What follows are the actual definitions from Google’s AI:

A heffalump represents a childhood fear of the unknown, an imaginary creature stemming from the word “elephant” as mispronounced by a child, often depicted as a large, monstrous, or scary beast. While first described as an unseen, dangerous “heffalump trap” in A.A. Milne’s Winnie the Pooh books, the concept was later expanded in Disney’s adaptations to include the real, friendly, and less frightening Heffalumps and Woozles, ultimately becoming a symbol of overcome fears and prejudices. 

A woozle represents the unknown, a manifestation of unfounded fears or anxieties, as depicted in A.A. Milne’s Winnie-the-Pooh where the characters chase their own tracks, thinking they are Woozle tracks. This concept extends to the “Woozle effect,” where weak, unverified evidence is repeatedly cited, leading to the mistaken belief in a fact or urban myth, such as in political or public health misinformation. 

Wait a minute… how did we get from fluffy purple elephants and pink Weasels, to the White House?

I will agree that elephants can be easily frightened, and weasels ARE rather high energy and anxious creatures, but to compare them to a politician… that’s taking things a bit too far for my liking.

I did like the part about overcoming fear of a thing, and also about truth over here say, as far as the whole misinformation thing goes.

Me? I’m only an ant, and a young one, at that! Somehow, even if I hadn’t gone to all the trouble of looking things up, I think that the book does a fairly good job of helping me figure things out… and it didn’t need a politician to do it! Just sayin.

I better give you some goodies, like Mee-maw does when she gives her two-cents on a thing…

My family is here for a visit, so I hope you don’t mind sharing… they don’t!

Come on in…

Wiwohka12 Comments
Daily writing prompt
What does your ideal home look like?
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I’ve known for some time now that I could very easily live in either a library or a bookstore. But, after thinking on the prompt this morning, the idea of living above my own bookshop/bakery… now that does has a whimsical feel to it, if I do say so myself!

There would be numerous rooms for reading…

All with different styles to choose from, thereby allowing the reader to find their favorite chair, as well as finding just the right amount of light…

or maybe just the right amount of pillows…

Here’s where things get rather interesting. You see, my ideal home would be somewhat magical. There’d be a desert trolley, effortlessly rolling from room to room, all by itself. My magic trolley would offer up the best kinds of cookies and pastries one could imagine…

Why?

Because, all of my reading rooms will come with a complimentary tea/coffee service, obviously! Nobody likes having to put a good book down, just to eat or drink, sheesh! Most avid readers would just choose to starve, I’m guessing. But I say, “Not on my watch, they won’t!”

Now, let’s talk about ambiance, or atmosphere, if you will. What’s a good reading session, without the accompanying sounds and smells of a delicious bakery, just up the stairs…

That’s where I’d spend half my day, baking my heart out! Oh, and I’d have one of those air blowers on my kitchen vents, pumping the smell of sugar cookies out into the streets.

The front of my bookstore would offer both an indoor and outdoor seating area…

And, just behind my bookstore would be a beautiful city park, filled with lush green trees, fragrant flowers, and numerous kinds of birds and other small wildlife…

So, there you have it, folks! My ideal home, all rolled up into a dreamy oasis of cookies, characters, and creature comforts!

Cookie?

Small Beginnings…

Wiwohka10 Comments

From the time I was very small, I loved to write. I was reading Louis Lamour books when I was roughly eight years old. No, my childhood wasn’t an easy one, so reading and writing were my sustenance! I could lose myself in worlds far better than the one I was enduring. I was reading adult books before I’d ever learned the meaning of all the words. The funny thing is that the books made sense, somehow.

Here I sit, nearly fifty years later, still learning. When I began this blog some eight years ago, the memories slowly began to resurface, giving rise to many wonderful, and some not-so-wonderful stories, poems, anecdotes, journal entries… and eventually, stories began arriving. Big ones, small ones, funny ones, sad ones… and some that made readers say, Huh?

When I really began writing heavily, it was in early 2023. Back in those initial days, weeks, and months, my writing was more a therapy session than anything more. I looked toward WordPress subscribers as a silent audience, or a studio sounding board, if you will.

But then, over time, something began to change. My subscribers, or readers if you will, began to comment, share and respond. Not like fans, though, but rather my friends. I might even be so bold as to say that many have become like family to me… like a village, really! You have all watched me suffer, struggle, cry, rage, and lament my journey. But, you have also been with me through blessings, joys, and countless literary adventures!

You have encouraged me to keep going, supported and loved me through some of the worst of times, some of the hardest life lessons, and some of the deepest joys of my journey! For this reason, I want to share something with you that while being rather small, brings me a great amount of joy in sharing with you, my most treasured family.

I know it’s only an e-book, but it’s got to start somewhere, right?

God Bless my husband’s abilities, for without his hard work and skills, it would have been impossible for me to navigate all this publishing stuff. I’ve a mountain of manuscripts just sitting, collecting dust, which is the opposite of what I wish for them. This is certainly worthy of at least a peek, if not a full read. Oh, and since it’s published on Amazon Kindle, members can read it for free! Don’t worry though, I still receive royalties, even if you don’t purchase it.

For now, I’ve simply included a link to the book, which is below, but you can also just look it up on Amazon.

Faith without action is rather empty, so here is an action…

https://a.co/d/buvEII2

I don’t think I could have done any of this without you, my WordPress family. So, I offer my most sincere thank you from the bottom of my heart, for all of your love, support, and encouragement… Thank You, Thank You, Thank You!!!

“Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you”. Matthew 17:20

Tuesday Tinkering…

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While I’m not in the mood for writing today, there is always room for tinkering, right?!

Remember when you were little and stuck in the house for whatever reason, with nothing to do but entertain yourself? We didn’t have cell phones, tablets, or computers when I was little. There was a radial phone attached to the wall in the kitchen, and we had one of those televisions that were encased in half a tree. Those old televisions didn’t come with cable, so forget Netflix, YouTube, or even a video recorder. Music came out of our car radio and television was only for Saturday morning cartoons and Sunday night Disney specials… otherwise, it was meant for the grown-ups.

So…. what did we all do for fun when left to our own devices? I don’t know about the boys, but us girls played dress-up! We loved to sneak into our mother’s closet and pretend to be a grown-up, stumbling around in her high-heeled shoes, tripping over the hem of the dress we’d been parading around in. My mother was an avid Avon customer, having boxes under the bathroom sink that were filled with sample lipsticks and perfumes. By the time I was finished with my self-makeover masterpiece, I both looked and smelled like an old French whore, as some might say.

Well, I’m far older and no longer even wear make-up or fancy dresses. I probably don’t own more than half a dozen outfits, mostly sweats… and high-heels left the building years ago! Thanks to modern technology, I’m able to enjoy a little playtime, sort of like I did as a child, but virtually! Back then it was dress up for myself and my baby dolls, alone in my bedroom. Today, I use a computer program to create beautiful, imaginative and entertaining things… and I get to see myself as the younger me, the way I remember.

Not just me, but you get to see all the barnyard babes going and doing things that I don’t get to do in the real world. Speaking of going and doing things, we’ve been adrift for days without the tiniest bit of wind to fill our sails. It’s been stiflingly hot in the cabins below deck, but brutally hot on deck, where the sails hang limp and useless. With nothing to do, compounded by the discomfort of the heat, all crew have holed up in the galley. It’s mid level of the ship, and nearest our water supply. Plus, I built a make-shift wading pool for us to put our feet in, for a little relief.

I think the nautical term for things is called Doldrums, not that it makes things any better in the knowing of such a term. I don’t even know what brought it to mind. Since we’re all too hot to touch each other, let alone don a bunch of hot and cumbersome outfits out of a smelly old chest, I pulled out my laptop… yes, I do happen to have a magic laptop that has an imaginary extension cord attached to it, so what! Think inner child, here…

It all started with Nugget! Well, a picture of today’s dress-up star, as I needed a volunteer subject. Who better to tinker with than our quirky little sailher… get it? Sail her, Sailher! Well, hopefully you got it…

Anyways, back to our magic make-over session, for today’s tinkering adventures! In the editing section of my AI program there’s this drop down list labeled “Stylize”. It’s where you can choose from a number of color/style/backdrop environments to enmesh with your character/model. I’ve never really used it before, due to being so picky about facial expressions and the mix between realism and whimsical in nature… basically, I’m a control freak with an overactive imagination. At times, I really do feel sorry for my AI assistant!

I took the above image of Nugget and simply began going through the list, making two images in each template, with the creativity setting on 7 out of 10. The higher the number, the more creativity I give over to the AI. It would take all day for me to run you through the dozen or so templates, so I’ll just show you some of the ups and downs and then my favorites, if you’re still actually here. I’m bored, ok! So suck it up Buttercup, as I like to say, and enjoy the goofy pics…

While they were fun to play with, it was merely for testing out of this particular feature, not for altering Nugget, in any fashion… get it? Fashion… oh, for Pete’s sake! I refuse to give disclaimers each time I do an incredibly corny play on words! I can’t help it that I am married to a man who loves to turn everything into a bad Dad Joke… it’s worn off on me, I think.

As far as the future use of this particular tool, I’m not so sure I like it for much of what I do, but it did render some positive results, as far as enhancing a backdrop or something like that. I’ve noticed that the program has a tendency to alter the appearance of my character’s face, or replace my model for an entirely different one, which isn’t what I wanted. Unfortunately, I also discovered that it only works on artificial characters… it doesn’t recognize my character, nor Mini-me or even the puppy, Bailey. Mainly, it worked with artificial and animated creatures. At least, it was the overall result from today’s two hour tinkering session.

Out of the entire experience, I really only found one image that was able to really hold onto Nugget’s key facial features, well, maybe two. I’ll show them both and let you decide…

Treasure!

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We found something!

I’m learning that sometimes getting lost isn’t such a bad thing. Maybe that’s the secret to finding your way… who knows?!

All I know is that I’m glad we did lose our bearings during that storm, or else we might never have traveled in the direction we did, nor would we have discovered the tiny, lone island, out in the middle of nowhere…

But, is it really nowhere? If you get to a place and find something already there that was left by another… wouldn’t that mean it has to be somewhere, not nowhere?

Well, we did find something that someone else left behind. I don’t think it’s considered stealing if the item was simply abandoned, and left in the sand. I mean, it’s not like the island belongs to anyone specifically, as there’s nobody living there, nor has anyone been on that island for some time. Aside from the treasure itself, there wasn’t anything else on the island, other than some palm trees and sandy beaches. I don’t think it was much bigger than a city park and not a very big one, at that! The only reason we anchored there was to repair some of the damage done from the storm.

After the repairs were completed, I thought it was would be fun to do a little exploring on the island. There wasn’t much there, but it still felt good to get off the ship and walk in the warm sand for a bit. The babes played and played and played, chasing each other from one end of the island to the other, laughing and squealing with delight! Finally, when they’d completely worn themselves out, everyone simply collapsed in the sand to rest… all except for one, Dinky!

In all the activity, I’d not noticed her absence. It wasn’t like she could go very far since the island was so tiny. All I had to do was look around, right? She should have been there, but she wasn’t! I ran back to the ship to see if she’d stayed onboard when we went to play on the beach. She wasn’t there, either. In a panic, I began calling out her name, but I still got no response… Dinky wasn’t anywhere to be found!

All the babes came running when they heard me calling Dinky’s name. Boomer was a wreck! Immediately, everyone began walking from one end of the island to the other, calling out her name. I knew that we should have been able to see her without having to go anywhere, but it occurred to me that she may have fallen in a hole, possibly. Maybe that’s why we couldn’t see or hear her, beings that she was so very tiny.

And, yes! The little dragon did fall into a hole… a rather large one, actually. There she was, just sitting there smiling up at us. There, beside Dinky, was something that I can only describe as a priceless treasure!

Now, you may be thinking that we found a chest of gold, silver, and rare jewels. Isn’t that generally what pirate’s like to bury in the sand on remote desert islands, hidden in the heart of the sea? That would have been my first guess, anyway. Well, before you start thinking that it was money, I’ll stop you. It wasn’t money at all, but if you were to ask me its worth… I wouldn’t be able to give you an exact number. Why? Because, a things worth has to do with the value one places on it! I think that it mostly depends on the things one considers to be worth holding onto. While I saw priceless, someone else left this treasure behind… abandoned it, really!

Why on earth was this treasure left behind? Yes, it was rather unusual looking, but I like things that are different. I suppose that some might find it of no good use, but I love to find purpose in things. I think that this treasure was left behind out of fear… fear of something different, something one doesn’t understand. Fear can make us do things we never thought we might do, say things we never thought we might say, and sometimes, cause others pain, neglect, and/or abandonment. In the case of this treasure… I think that’s exactly what happened!

Part of me wants to show you what we found, right this very moment, but I’m not sure how you might react. Will you think me a fool? Will you deny it’s value, once you see what it is? What if it fills you with fear or revulsion, instead of awe and wonder? That’s a possibility, you know. What I think about a thing’s value may be far different than what you imagine it should. I’m still not even sure what it is, exactly, but I’m still taking it onboard with us… that’s how valuable I think it is!

Ok! Don’t freak out or anything…

Now, I may not know the whys of this treasure being left behind, nor do I know the whats or whos or whens, yet… but I will! That’s the beauty of this whole voyage… we can take as long as we wish to get where we need to go, right?!

Only Three? No fair…

Wiwohka8 Comments
Daily writing prompt
List three books that have had an impact on you. Why?
View all responses

Now, I know you might think that I’m going to say ‘the bible’ for my first choice, here… but you’d be wrong! Ok, not entirely wrong.

When I saw this mornings prompt, I did plan to give that as my first answer, at first! But, here’s the problem I encountered when I sat down to write out my response to the above question… the why part!

First of all, do you realize how many books I’ve read over the last 56 years? I wouldn’t be able to answer that question, myself. Goodness! I’ve read and re-read so many books over the years, whether they be fiction or non-fiction. The sheer number of adventurous stories I collected and filed into my memory banks must be staggering! Where do you think my love of writing was born? Dreaming! What filled my dreams? Those fictional adventures brought my imagination to life, I think.

Unfortunately, life has a tendency to suck all the fun and adventure out of things, so survival called for moving beyond fantasy toward the pursuit of the truth. Endless hours were spent pouring through all manner of Christian and/or Secular volumes of self-help, self-improvement, and self-validation books. Some helped and some didn’t. One particular book did, in fact, help. Yes, this is the place where you can say, “see, we knew you were going to say the Bible.”

But did I? Can we even do that? Well, I suppose we could, but the real question here might be… should we?

Did you know that the Bible, itself, is not really just one single book? Technically, it’s a collection of 66 different books, some quite small and others quite lengthy… but still!

Of all the differing books I’ve read over these many years, those 66 books have been invaluable to me at one time, or another. I’m fairly certain that if you were to ask me this same prompt question at a different time, my answer would be different. Well, ok, I confess that the Psalms will always be in my heart, so I guess that one will always be on the list, though I cannot say whether it would be number 1, 2, or 3. As I said, it would probably depend on when you asked me the question.

Since we know that one of the three books has already been set in stone, so to speak, now what? How can I not go straight to the gospels? But, how am I to decide which of those books impacted me the most? Matthew, Mark, Luke or John… can one actually decide between the four? Well, I couldn’t… I can’t… in truth, I don’t want to!

It didn’t even help trying to pick the Old Testament or the New Testament… way too much valuable stuff in both!

Personally, I look to the entirety of the old testament for our history, as it’s important to remember. We all want to know who we are and where we came from, don’t we? Aren’t there currently a number of DNA mail in organizations out there that make a ton of profit from those wanting to know their family’s genealogy? My point here is that we all find our history important! The old testament has 39 books to choose from, and I’ve already said that Psalms is on my list of three, so there’s still 38 more books to pick and we haven’t even begun to talk about the books in the New Testament. What about Paul’s writings, or Timothy’s, or James, or John? See my problem?

If I were to actually take even one of these books and write an explanation of how it impacted my life, we’d need a lot more time and a lot more cookies!

In answer to the prompt

books one, two, and three

They’re all within scripture

so I can’t choose, you see…

Cookie?

Lost at sea…

Wiwohka2 Comments

We have a cabin filled with maps, navigational charts, and all manner of nautical doohickeys… and we still managed to get ourselves lost! One would think that having a dragon about would count for something. Not when he can’t fly out and search for our landmarks.

Currently, the dragon is grounded to my cabin… well, not really grounded. It’s more like seclusion for his own safety. After the incident we had the other day, it’s best for everyone involved that the dragon not be out and about, right now. Maybe I should back up a bit…

It all started with a storm, and a mighty one it was…

This old ship groaned, creaked, and sprang leaks from stem to stern, but she held! Thank goodness for the workmanship of those old time craftsmen. Truly, this ship was built to withstand the seas cruelest of winds, and most powerful waves. The problem, however, wasn’t the wind nor the waves. It was the rocks…

It was good that the ship could hold out the water, but I was more worried about the wind and where it was carrying us. We were utterly helpless and at the mercy of the fierce winds for hours, while they ruthlessly pushed us toward destruction…

We never had a chance to safely stow our sails before the storm hit, leaving useless and in tatters. When I didn’t things could get any worse… they did! We found ourselves under attack from pirates…

Our attackers used large grappling hooks to tear into our ship’s timbers, locking onto her sides like hungry eels. Just as they began to board us Brutus came roaring out of the galley with mouth open and teeth bared. The dragon’s sudden intake of breath sent the pirates scrambling back over the edges of the ship in fear for their lives…

I’ve told you that Brutus is a big boy… well, maybe that wasn’t the truest description…

When the dragon is at his full size, he towers over our very ship like it were a mere plaything. That’s the reason for his usual doglike size. Otherwise, the ship would simply sink under the weight of a mighty dragon.

Anyways, back to our pirate predicament…

Depending on who you ask, Brutus may or may not have, kind of sort of, lit a good number of pirate ships on fire… well, it all happened so fast that I can honestly say that I didn’t actually see anything happen… honest! I was so busy collecting crew that were scattered about the ship, I didn’t know the ships were on fire until I smelled the smoke in the air.

At first, I thought it was our vessel burning, and nearly dropped Bailey over the side of the ship when our sails miraculously caught a gust of wind, propelling our ship away from the flames as if we’d been shot out of a cannon!

With ships burning in the distance that grew between us, I looked to see that our sails were being filled by the breath of a familiar dragon. Brutus was using his mighty lungs and wings to push us to safety!

Somehow, the dragon managed to direct our ship toward a gap in those islands we’d been crashing towards, just before the pirates attacked. There, we made anchor in the dark, to simply wait out the storm and pray for dawn.

Dawn’s first light saw us making a hasty retreat into deeper waters, hoping to put as much distance from our adversaries as possible, though we saw no trace of our pursuers, nor any evidence of the battle that had taken place, only the night before.

The waters didn’t say empty for long, however, as I’m certain that there were survivors… and I’m sure they told tales of a mighty dragon. By the next day, there were numerous ships of varying allegiances. I could only presume that they were searching for this so called dragon…

My only option was to flee into uncharted waters, seeking to lose ourselves within the sea, itself…

Sometimes, getting lost is actually the best way to get where your going… at least that’s what I’m learning.

So, now you know why Brutus is sticking below decks for the time being. Now is not the time for having a massive dragon flying around your ship, you know? We’d stick out like a sore thumb, if you know what I mean.

For now, if you wouldn’t mind, I’m going to stay lost, I think…

For the sake of love…

Wiwohka5 Comments

Since we have a boat, and we have the freedom of the seas to travel, the world is our oyster! Only one problem… not everyone is here, yet!

If you’re wondering who we’re missing, as all the babes are on board, let me explain. Remember last winter, just before the barnyard and babes disappeared? If you recall, our young miss Tilly met a boy in the forest, while she and Dinky were gathering pine bows. Well… he was sort of overlooked in all the chaos of tracking down all my lost ones. I feel awful about it, especially since it has caused Tilly such heartache! I found her below deck this morning, crying herself silly. She tried to settle herself when I approached, but the moment I sat down beside her, the mouse began to bawl again, and didn’t stop til she fell asleep in my arms. As she was drifting off to sleep, mingled in amongst the tearful snuffles, I could hear her whispering the name “Henry”… and it all came rushing back to me, in an instant! We’d forgotten all about young Henry and his family at the old Church down the road from our barn.

How could I have overlooked them? I felt awful! You guys, we have to search for them, before any adventuring can happen. There is absolutely no way that we can have any fun with a love sick mouse aboard…

I don’t know about you but that face makes my heart hurt, and Tilly deserves to be happy. So, stow all the supplies… weigh anchor… lift the sails…

We make for the river that leads inland, toward the place we’d found young Squagon, remember? Somewhere out there is a young mouse that we simply must find…

Where are you, young Henry? There is a mouse who loves you so…

Let us set sail for the sake of love, shall we?

Barnyard Recovery…

Wiwohka1 Comment

As you already know, we’ve no actual barn to recover. The valley is simply empty of anything recognizable, and with no markings that I can even decipher!

I’ve basically been using Journey With Me’s RV as my shelter, while searching the woods for those lost to us…

It was the only thing I had available that was big enough to fit all the babies found, thus far. If you’re wondering, little Tilly is fully recovered from the shock of spending those nights by herself, alone in the woods. I have to say that all this fresh air has done the mouse a world of good! She bounced back much more quickly than I’d anticipated.

Now, every time I send her off to play in the meadow she looses her coveralls, loosing them somewhere in the grass. This leaves me to wander across the meadow in search of her things. Well, at least she’s covered in fur, so a little dirt won’t hurt her!

I am, however, very glad that I let her run wild! Tilly wandering about in the woods actually paid off! While I was busy searching one part of the forest, it was our tiny little mouse that found another of our lost ones…

Thank the heavens, we’ve recovered little Bailey! She was quite upset when Miss Tilly found her, howling in misery; covered in mud and twigs. Tilly had to work for nearly an hour to coax the puppy out from beneath the old rotted out log that she’d been hiding.

According to Tilly, the place where she’d discovered Bailey was terribly close to a busy road, with cars frequently zooming past at some speed. Gabriel was nowhere to be seen! Before you get upset and think the wrong thing, it’s not that bad, really. I truly believe that Gabriel will be just fine, and I think you’ll agree with me, once I tell you the rest of what Bailey told Tilly…

In tears, the puppy retold of how a car pulled off the road and an older gentleman got out and picked her brother up in his arms, before the puppy could run back into the woods. Then, the man walked back to the car, opening the back door and handing the puppy over to the outstretched hands of a small child. Then the man climbed back into the car, driving off into the night with Gabriel in the back seat. Bailey tried to run after the car, barking as loudly as she was able… but it was hopeless! She lost sight of the car almost immediately, and found herself completely alone in the dark. The frightened puppy was left to climb under an old log for shelter. There, she cried herself to sleep, cold and alone.

If it weren’t for Tilly’s keen eyes and ears, we may never have found the tiny puppy. Since then, she hasn’t left Tilly’s side for even a moment! The two of them formed a deep connection, ever since the mouse brought her back from the woods…

I suppose I should explain the reason that I left Tilly near the RV, rather than taking her with me. I really needed to search for any trace of either Acorn Valley, or Pinion Valley, which meant that I could be gone for hours. Not only that, it’s hard to focus your concerns and efforts on finding one baby, if your busy tending to another one, if that makes any sense. I desperately needed to look for any sign of Squagon, and the only place I thought to start searching was the valley where the little guy was born. I found the river and followed it for a bit, in the hopes that it would at least lead me in the general direction of Acorn Valley… remember, there was a sizeable river that flowed past that the little squirrel’s family home.

My plan worked like I’d hoped, leading me straight past the park where I’d first discovered Squagon’s kin so long ago, it seems. Sadly, the park was empty of any wildlife, including the Raven Brothers who were nowhere to be found! There’s now a walking bridge that goes from the park to the other side of the river, so I followed it across and headed down an old, long forgotten path. After an hour or so of walking, I came upon a small picnic area beside the path, deciding to stop for a rest. Sitting down at one of the tables, I leaned back against it and closed my eyes, listening to the birds singing in the trees, as I breathed deeply of the fragrant air that drifted past my face.

From somewhere in the trees above my head, I heard the sound of something small land on the table beside me, most probably a pinecone, or a branch. When I opened my eyes to see what had fallen from the tree, I nearly fell off the bench in surprise!

What had fallen from the tree above my head was NOT a pinecone, at all!

It was, in fact, a very glad to see me squirrel, who happens to bear the name of SQUAGON!!!

Now, I realize that he looks different than we’re used to seeing, but you have to understand that the little guy has been flying around in the forest, lost and confused, by all that has happened. Apparently, he awoke one morning to find himself there in that tree, looking across the river at Acorn Valley, where he’d been born. When he searched the park and found it empty, the confused squirrel went looking for the barn, only to discover that it too, had disappeared! In a panic, he went in search of Pinion Valley, and the rest of his family. When the little guy found no one, he had no idea what else to do, so he returned to the place where he’d first woken up, weeks earlier. The only thing he knew to do, was wait for me to come for him, as he apparently knew that I would! Huh!

Anyways, at least we can all breath a sigh of relief… now that he’s safely tucked away, back at the camper with the rest of his barn mate’s that have we’ve recovered, so far. It’s been good for them to have each other nearby for comfort and reassurance…

I apologize for Boomer being absent, but he’s still rather grumpy and stand-offish. Something’s been really bothering the dragon, ever since Tilly brought Bailey back to the camp without Gabriel accompanying them, too. All that I can think to do here, is to wait. We’ll have to give him more time to come ’round, that’s all!

Speaking of which, it’s time that I come ’round to ending this note. Keep your eyes on the horizon for the return of our beloved Eustace, as well as the return of mini-me with our mighty dragon, Brutus… never say never, right?!

Tinker Me This…

Wiwohka1 Comment

My heart is so grateful to have Tilly back, though she’s still rather overwhelmed with the loss of our babe’s, as well as being lost in the woods, herself! It will take time for her to feel up for any questions, as she still cries frequently. I realize that Tilly loves me, but she feels so lost without all the others. Not only is the little mouse concerned about our missing babies, but she’s filled with fear that the church down the lane will be gone, as well. We’ve not seen any sign of her handsome suitor, young Henry…

While it seems rather simple to just trot down the lane and see if the church is there, but here’s the problem… if we can’t locate the barn, I’ve no way to know where to search for the church. See what I mean?

I’ve a great deal of things on my to-do list here, what with searching for the lost ones, looking for clues on the whereabouts of the barn, worrying about mini-me searching all on her own out there, and repairing the places within the lobby that disappeared in all this mess!

Finding Tilly has given me hope though,

being able to restore the smile that we all fell in love with…

From the confidence gained in finding her, I began my next search for Dinky and Boomer. I thought to go back to the forest that I found Tilly in, hoping that maybe they hadn’t wandered too far off from where I located the missing mouse.

My search was rewarded within only an hour or so of looking. Deep inside the forest, hunkered down together behind an old dead tree, sat my two lost dragons. I’m sure that it’s them, but I must prepare you for the changes that have occurred with both dragons during their absence!

Dinky seems to have shrunk herself back down to the size she was when I first discovered her, probably due to the trauma of being lost in the woods… you know how she gets! But I do know with certainty that it is her, for there is no mistaking her eyes, wouldn’t you agree?!

Though it might not be too terrible that Dinky returned to her original size, as she’s often done whenever feeling frightened or upset. However, I am a bit concerned for Boomer…

The playful, fun loving, and tender Boomer seems uncomfortably different…

He seems more stoic and aloof than before! We must give him time, I think, to soften up and come back to the affectionate little guy that we’re used to seeing. But, keep in mind that he may never be the same, never again resembling that little one… for one thing, he’s much larger now.

The dragon that once mirrored the emotional color and features of his sister, was left to bravely protect Dinky from harm, as well as trying to calm her fears. I have a feeling that the changes are irreversible, either from the trauma or simply because the young dragon was forced to grow up quickly!

Time shall heal the wounds of his heart though… of this, I’m sure! The Boomer we know and love is still in there, even if he looks a little different….